Baz

I'm sitting at my desk, alone, trying to organize my long list of questions. Simon left for school a couple of hours ago and won't be back tonight, which gives me plenty of quiet thinking time. Yet, I feel like I won't be able to figure this out until I see him again.

I'm assuming what happened last night was a visiting since it matches what I know about them perfectly. Following that assumption, the first question on my list is why did we get a visiting last night? If it was Snow's mother, the answer is simple: he doesn't know her and she wants him to know the reason. Another question I have is how the visiting happened? The veil thinned two years ago, it shouldn't be thinning for another eighteen. Looking into past visitings, I didn't find any that happened in the wrong time, the mages would have documented one if it happened. I could blame the Humdrum for messing the cycle, but I suspect that would be a simplification.

My thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door, I'm not expecting anybody. I open the door to see Snow's shaken, slightly disappointed face. He almost looks as if he hoped I wouldn't answer.

"I need a drink." he declares as he pushes past me, heading straight to the kitchen. I've never seen him like that.

"What's wrong, Snow?"

"Want some?" he says as an answer, meaning the whiskey he just pulled out of my liquor cabinet. I nod with indifference, not really caring for the drink. Simon pours me a glass. I take it and sit at the kitchen table. He pours himself a glass, downs it in one go, refills and sits across from me.

Something is truly wrong. Before I can say anything he says:" Lucy- my mom- visited again." My jaw drops, so does Snow's gaze. He moves the whiskey between his hands and I decide it's better not to say anything.

"I was sitting in the library writing a paper," he says, "and she just appeared out of nowhere."

"Did the Normals notice anything?" I ask, panicked. It's always a mess when Normals see magick.

Simon dismisses me with a wave while he takes a sip. "I cast there's nothing to see here. That's not the point." he says, proceeding to tell me the story of how Simon Snow, the chosen one, most powerful mage who's ever lived, who was temporarily out of magick and part dragon, was created. When he's finished I feel like I'm the one who needs a drink, I take a sip.

"Aleister Crowley, Simon I'm so sorry." I say, grabbing Snow's hand from across the table. He doesn't say anything; just looks at my hand like it's an alien creature that shouldn't be anywhere near his.

"Come on," I say, he looks up at me, "you should get some rest."

"Yeah, you're probably right," he says, "I should go home." Simon gets up but I catch his arm before he manages to get too far.

"This is your home," I say, then drop my gaze, "if you want it to be."

Simon gives me a sad smile, steps closer and gives me a soft kiss on the cheek. "Thank you" he whispers right at my ear, then leans back and adds:" but I should really get going. I need some time on my own."

I nod and walk him to the door. "Simon, you do know this doesn't change anything, right?" I tell him, "Not about you, not about your life. It's only information, it has no power on its own."

We stand in silence for a few moments. Snow opens the door. When he's already outside but with the door still open he turns to me with a half smile and says: "She told me when my birthday is, I never knew the date. It's in two days." He turns around and walks away. I close the door behind him.

My phone buzzes, it a text from Bunce. What happened to Simon? It says.

I don't think it's my place to talk about it; he'll have to tell you himself. I reply.

Her text back comes immediately: Ugh. You're useless. Can't you say anything? He's really off, I'm worried.

I decide that I can tell her about the visitings in general, we would have told her anyway, so I text: There are visiting happening again, not sure why yet.

My phone Buzzes with her immediate reply: WHAT?! I'm calling.

Moments later my phone rings, her name shows up on the screen.

"Baz!" she sounds angry, "Why didn't you tell me about the visitings? How do you know about them?"

"Umm," I say, "we got one when we came home last night."

"Did your mother come back again?"

"Not exactly."

"Who was it then?" she says. Naturally she's curious but I can't say anything, it's not my story to tell.

"Penelope," I say, "I told you I can't talk about it, why do you keep asking?"

Penelope

Baz wouldn't tell me anything.

"Why do you keep asking?" he says, sounding irritated.

"I told you already, I'm worried about him, Basil."

"Well he'll have to tell you himself. I'll talk to you later Penelope." Baz says and hangs up.

I can't say I'm happy with where this is going but I decide to try the other way around. I knock on Simon's door, when he doesn't answer I open it and peek inside. Simon is lying on his back, staring at the ceiling.

"Simon?" I say softly, he doesn't react, "Will you tell me what happened? I'm really worried."

Simon sighs and sits up with his legs hanging from the side of the bed, elbows on knees.

"I'm fine, Penny. Quit worrying." he says looking at his lap, "I just really don't want to talk about it." he looks up at me and says: "I need to think this through before I can do anything about it, so if-"

"I get it, Simon, I really do. I'll give you space. When you're ready talk…"

"I know where to find you." Simon finishes the sentence for me. I shake my head a little and leave.

I decide I should let mum know about the visitings, maybe she'll be able to help.

Some hours later Simon emerges from his room looking like he just ran straight through hell.

"Hey, Penny." He says, "Can you help me with something?" He runs his fingers through his hair.

"Sure," I say, "what is it?"

"Can you find some information about someone named Lucy? She probably went to school with your mother and dated the Mage."

The description sounds really familiar but I can't put my finger on it.

"Lucy" I say out loud, for myself rather than Simon, but then it downs on me:"Mum's actually told me about her, I think they were good friends. Agatha was also interested in her story for some reason, maybe she knows something, I'll call her."

"Thanks Penny, let me know if you find something." Simon says before he disappears back into his room.

I plan on calling Agatha but I have to see the full picture before I do that. I dial Baz's number.

"Basil," I say as soon as he picks up.

"I told you already," he sounds exasperated," It's not my place to talk about it.

"And I'm not asking you to. Simon asked me to find information about some Lucy who's dated the Mage and I need to know why." I'm pretty sure I'm on an unstoppable rant, "Merlin's beard! My mother told me about her and that's not a sweet bedtime story so I'm pretty sure there's no need for Simon to hear it now and I swear, if you don't give me a good reason-"

"Crowley, Penelope," Baz cuts me off, "wouldn't you let me say a word?"

I don't say anything so he continues:" Lucy's the one who came back, she's Snow's mother, and the Mage is-"

"Oh, god" I gasp, speechless," I'll have to call you back." I add and hang up.

I dial Agatha's number.
Agatha

"What's wrong?" I say to Penny over the phone, something must be. She never calls without a good reason.

"Do you remember Lucy?" she says, not expecting an answer, "Did you find anything about her?"

"Not really," I say back, "a few pictures but nothing else. I never found out what actually happened."

"Can you email me the pictures?" Penny's voice lights with excitement, "You could say it's an emergency."

"I'm flying out to London in a few hours so I don't really have time for emailing, but I'll throw them in my bag, sure."

I sigh, I really wanted this trip to be as quiet and magick-less as possible, there go my plans.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Penny asks, sounding a little hurt.

"I guess I wanted it to be a surprise, one with no magickal adventures." I say.

"I promise there won't be too many," Penny says with amusement, "but we do have some interesting news."

"Are Simon and Baz getting married?" I say, mainly to make Penny laugh.

"Not yet." she says with laughter, "You'll see when you'll get here."

"I have to go; I'll call you when I get to London."

"See you then." Penny says before hanging up.